Tom Eaves aiming to be back in the saddle in February

Tom Eaves, who broke his leg in three places in a fall at Newcastle on September 24, will not be returning to the saddle this month as initially planned.

The rider fell from Savannah Moon when his mount clipped heels in a 1m2f handicap at Gosforth Park and has been on the sidelines since. His recuperation is progressing well, but the severity of the injury means he is not yet ready to return.

"I plan to start riding out in February and then riding in races at the end of February," Eaves said on Wednesday. "I'm getting fit and I'm getting there but I want everything to be 100 per cent."

Eaves is perhaps best known for his relationship with Kevin Ryan's stable star Brando, who he rode to victory in the Group 3 Abernant Stakes in 2018 before placing in the July and Haydock Sprint Cups. The pair won the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest in 2017.

Nicol out of action with broken femur

Adam Nicol, who has ridden four winners from his last 14 mounts, broke his femur in a fall from Iconic Belle at Musselburgh on Tuesday and faces a spell on the sidelines.

His boss Phil Kirby said on Wednesday: "He's due to have an operation today. We send all our good wishes for a speedy recovery."

Among Nicol's recent winners was Kirby's stable star Lady Buttons, winner of the 2m4½f Listed mares' chase at Doncaster on Saturday, and likely to have her next run in a similar event at Huntingdon later this month ahead of a possible tilt at the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase.

John Codner funeral

The funeral of John Codner, an integral part of the veterinary squad at Cheltenham racecourse for 30 years until his retirement in October, will take place on Tuesday.

Codner first worked for Cheltenham at the 1988 festival and became a permanent member of the team the following year. He died on December 21.

The service will take place at Cheltenham Crematorium, beginning at 3pm, with a reception afterwards at the racecourse.

Foster celebrates diamond wedding anniversary

Former jump jockey John Foster, 84, celebrates his 60th wedding anniversary with wife June on Thursday.

Foster rode in the 1952 Grand National, aged 17, and continued to ride horses until his late 70s.

He is the father of Martin Foster, champion conditional jockey 1990-91, who used to ride for Martin Pipe.

Paddy Power offer

Paddy Power have gone non-runner no-bet on the five championship races (Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase, Stayers’ Hurdle, Ryanair Chase and Gold Cup) at the Cheltenham Festival as from 10am on Wednesday.

Bet365 are also non-runner-no-bet on the same races, while Sky Bet offer the concession on all festival races.

Maria's Benefit setback

Exciting novice chaser Maria's Benefit is likely to miss the rest of the season after she was found to have a fractured hock.

The seven-year-old mare won her first two races over fences but lost her unbeaten record as a chaser when unseating in the Grade 2 Wayward Lad Novices' Chase at Kempton on December 27.

Her trainer Stuart Edmunds said on Tuesday: "She unseated Ciaran [Gethings] at Kempton and she has a tiny little fracture of her hock. She isn't lame, but she has some swelling and the x-ray has shown she has a fracture. She'll probably be out for the rest of the season.

"Obviously it's really gutting for us. It's the top end of her novice season which is the worst part of it. Fundamentally she is sound and well, but it's a big shame."

Maria's Benefit had been a top-priced 25-1 for the Racing Post Arkle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Archive replays temporarily unavailable

Replays of races from Ireland and at Chelmsford which took place before January 1 will be temporarily unavailable due to technical issues – affecting all providers of replays – caused by the switch in broadcaster from At The Races to Racing TV. The archive replays will start to become available this month. All replays from January 1 are available as normal.

Ayr clerk 'very confident' racing will go ahead

Wednesday's meeting at Ayr must pass an inspection at 8am on the morning of racing with temperatures forecast to dip below freezing.

Clerk of the course Graeme Anderson is confident the meeting will take place and said: "We've got a couple of forecasts telling us it could get down to -3C rather than the zero or -1C that they told us earlier.

"We're going to put frost sheets down for the whole track and I'm still very confident. Our sheets hold down to about -3C so as long as it's nothing more than that we should be absolutely fine."

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